ISHS Acta Horticulturae 614: VI International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climate: Product and Process Innovation
TRENDS IN PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS |
| Authors: | F. Tognoni, G. Serra |
| Keywords: | innovation, greenhouse processes, greenhouse products, product quality, mild climate |
| Abstract:
The open and complex scenario we are experiencing has so many and unforeseeable facets that what today appears likely to come, may tomorrow become unlikely. The main driving forces for changing greenhouse industry arise from many reasons and particularly: the heightened general sensitivity for the environmental problems (unsightly greenhouses in in the landscape; the output of agrochemicals and other materials); the fall of political and physical barriers; the shortage and/or increasing costs of certain resources (energy and irrigation water; labour cost); consumers becoming more discriminating buyers with higher expectations for quality and durability of plant products (dimensions, shapes, colours, flavours, nutritional factors, post-harvest life). It is not so easy to recall all the changes affecting processes and products of protected cultivations in the last years or, still less, in the coming ones. In this paper, we have tried to predict the future in relation to past and present situations. With this approach, we have analyzed the main trends in increasing production efficiency and environmental friendliness, workers safety and wellbeing; in satisfying consumer requirements and in taking advantage of new communication technologies. The case of two main crops, tomatoes and cut roses, completes the paper. Finally, it can be stated that the trends of products and processes of mild climate greenhouses cannot be evaluated separately from the global context and any change will follow the global production and market trends. Threats and opportunities emerging in the global system will be the sole forces influencing the right reactions. Therefore, the growers have to be sensitive enough to intercept, and correctly decode, any signal coming from the market. | |
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